Results
Telomere dynamics
There was no difference in ∆RTL between males and females (Mean ± SE;
Males = 0.001 ± 0.014, Females = 0.000 ± 0.013). Females infected with
malaria at first RTL measurement had more negative ∆RTL than
non-infected females (Fig. 1). In females, the association between
offspring number and ∆RTL was dependent on the availability of food
within the same period (interaction term in Table 1). Females that
produced no offspring had ∆RTL close to zero regardless of food
availability (Fig. 2). Females in territories of low mean food
availability had a more negative ∆RTL with increasing numbers of
offspring, whereas females in territories of high mean food availability
had a more positive ∆RTL with increasing numbers of offspring (Fig. 2).
Females that reared offspring with the assistance of helpers also had
more positive ∆RTL change compared to females without helpers (Fig. 3).
∆RTL was not associated with ∆RTL period or age (Table 1). None of the
chosen explanatory variables predicted ∆RTL in males (Table 1). In all
models, results were qualitatively identical when unadjusted ∆RTL was
used as the response variable and controlling for initial RTL length
(Table S1).